


Xenomonster Chronicles

by Drakuhound1997



Series: Xenomonster Chronicles (XB2 x MHST) [1]
Category: Monster Hunter (Video Games), Xenoblade Chronicles 2 (Video Game)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, F/M, Monster Hunter AU, Species Swap
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-11-25
Updated: 2020-11-29
Packaged: 2021-03-09 20:33:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 5
Words: 8,496
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27712082
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Drakuhound1997/pseuds/Drakuhound1997
Summary: (Xenoblade Chronicles 2 X Monster Hunter Stories)A what if scenario of Xenoblade 2, where it took place in Monster Hunter's world. Rex is a young Scrivener that works with the Guild in Argentum. One expedition will lead him on an adventure of a lifetime. Follow his quest with Pyra as they try to solve the mystery of the disappearing monsters in their world.This fanfiction will mostly stay true to Xenoblade 2, but with some differences to some of the characters and their backstories, as well as some plot points to fit the context of Monster Hunter. Blades will be changed on a case-by-case basis as to whether they become a monster, a hunter, a rider, or some combination of the above. This story will include monsters not just from the main series, but also from Monster Hunter Frontier.
Relationships: Homura | Pyra/Rex
Series: Xenomonster Chronicles (XB2 x MHST) [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2032159
Kudos: 3





	1. Encounters

**Author's Note:**

> Our stories begins off the coast of Argentum, where a certain Scrivener began his dive for relics of a time long forgotten. Little did he know what lied in wait for him back at the Guild...

In the dark depths of the sea, a lone salvager came down with a crane to pull up a crate. After setting things up, he signals to be pulled up. He ascends onto a medium sized boat. And takes off his helmet. No longer obscured by the darkness, he is wearing a modified version of Rhenoplos armor, with elements of the Hunter and Leather series as well. He doesn’t look old, only 15 years old. With bright yellow eyes, he sighs. “We really need to get a new depth probe. The ping was off by 15 miles. That’s not going to fly!” An older voice responds, “And what about the treasure, Rex? Was it in line with your expectations?” He pulls out a crowbar. “It seems pretty solid. Didn’t really have to reinforce it much. Even with the labor costs, we should be able make a pretty sum.” “Honestly it takes you two days to run the structural analysis…” The older voice said. As he was talking, the neck of a large sea monster with an old man on its head appears. “Yet you can still gauge how much it’s worth in an instant?”

Rex continues to pull at the crate. “Don’t go rainin’ on my parade, Gramps. You know I’m in the Guild for some cash!” he says as he as he tries to pull off the door. “A little business sense goes a long way, all right?!” As he was done talking, the side of the crate comes off, revealing an angry Hermitaur. “Well didn’t expect that. How long have you been hanging around in there?” The Hermitaur tries to grab Rex with its claw, before he jumps out of the way. “Rex!” “No worries, Gramps!” He says as he grabs an iron greatsword. “Interested in some crab, eh Gramps?” Rex and the Hermitaur fought it out, until the carapaceon fell. The man on the sea monster steps down from its back. Rex pulls out a grill and placed one of the claws on there. “Ahh, nothing better than a warm flame for these old bones,” said the old Wyverian. Suddenly, they heard a whale like cry, a Ceadeus. It surfaced for one final breath, only to crash back down into the water. “Not another monster. It’s been happenin’ a lot lately,” Rex said in disappointment. “Hmm, seems to be happening a lot more often, as of late,” the elder replied. Rex couldn’t help but wonder, “Do you think it was the last of its pod?” “It could have been. Or it could have just been a loner. We couldn’t tell really.” In the distance, they can see the silhouette of massive structure in the north, the World Tree. Looking at it, Rex asks the Wyverian, Azurda, a question. “Hey Gramps, is it true that everything in Alrest once came from that tree?” The retired hunter strokes his beard. “That’s what they say. Many believe that we once shared that home with our divine Father, the Architect. Of course, these days we don’t. No one knows why we left. Some think we were banished. Others think we were taken from our home. Nevertheless, we are grateful for the world we inhabit, living alongside our monstrous companions,” gesturing to the sea monster the boat was on top of, a Lagiacrus. “So what you’re saying is that Elysium might really exist?” Azurda nodded. “If the World Tree exists, so too must Elysium. Many have tried and failed to ascend the tree, but many didn’t return. It’s a shame, really. I would like to know more about our past. I may be old, but not that old.” _Yeah, me too_ , Rex thought. _There must be some sort of secret up there. Maybe it might answer why many monsters are disappearing?_

After finishing their lunch, they set sail back to Argentum, the main base of the Alrestian district of the Guild. Rex docks the Lagiacrus at the port, removing the ship from its back so that it may rest. “You take care now, ok Tempest?” The leviathan chuffed, and begins to curl up for a nap on its favorite platform. After making his report and sending some of his money to Fonsett Village, a Felyne approaches him. “Hello, Rex.” Rex recognizes the Felyne. “Pupunin! It’s been a while since I last saw you.” Pupunin nods. “You are looking a little peppy today.” “I’ve been through worse. So what do you have for me? A new job?” The orange Felyne said, “Something like that. Rex, you are from Leftherian Archepurrlego, correct? “Yeah, why do you ask?” Pointing at the boardroom, Pupunin told Rex, “Chairmeow Bana wishes to see Rex if that is the case.” Rex raises an eyebrow. “Wait really? What’s going on?” “Chairmeow asks for Rex by name,” the small Felyne said. “Alright, I head there straight away.” _Wonder what this is all about_ , he thought.

In the boardroom, a large, greenish Felyne with jewels on his arms sat at his desk. He had a tuft of hair tied in a ponytail, dyed pink, as well as long whiskers. His fur coat was also fluffy. “Thank you for accepting summons. I am Bana, Chairmeow of the Argentum Trade Guild,” he says as he messes with his whiskers. “P-pleasure to meet your acquaintance,” Rex said nervously. “I have heard that you are from Leftherian Archepurrlego, yes? Pupunin says you are quite a skilled salvager, correct? If that is the case, I have a tiny little request for meow.” Rex was surprised. “A request straight from the Chairmeow?” Holding a bag of gold, Bana places it on the desk. “The reward is 100,000 zenny.” “A hundred thousand?!” The Chairmeow plays with his left whiskers. “That is correct. Actually, that is only the advance. If you complete the task, another 100,000 will be provided on completion.” Rex sweated a little. “Two hundred thousand total?! I-I must be dreaming…” Rex has made up his mind. “Ok, I’ll do it! I will ensure that the quest would be successful. I promise I won’t let you down! Hahaha!” he said in excitement. Bana tilted his head. “You agreed without knowing the full details?” “Oh right. Sooo… what kind of job am I doing?” Bana looked at him with uncertainty. “Are you sure you are up to hiss?” he asked. “Of course! I’ll be just fine.” Bana eases up. “Nya, if you say so. The crew will explain your quest.” He gestures to one of the Guild receptionists. “Bring them in.” “Yes, sir” she said. She opens the side door, revealing the sound of multiple footsteps. Coming from the right was a white haired Wyverian girl, with a pair of duel blades at her hip. Beside her was a Barioth, dressed with armor. Behind her and emerging from the left, was another, much taller Wyverian with black hair and a tonfa. He came with a Yian Garuga decked in armor as well. Bringing up the rear was a tall man with silvery hair and a grey mask, armed with a longsword.

“Riders…? And Monsties…? Whoa, they are so cool.” Rex had only used the rental monsters owned by the Guild, never before seeing an actual Monster Rider. “So… There is something we need to haul up. There were some current shifts, revealing a new uncharted area. But it’s a long way down,” the silver haired man said. “Nice… I like a good challenge!” Rex was starting to get a little cocky. “I wanted to hire a team of veterans to help them on their expurrdition. But they’re a little picky. They only wanted a small, elite team, with most only from Leftheria. But that is when I had a stroke of genius. That I should hire Rex!” Bana explained. Rex laughed a little. “You’ve made the right choice.” This in turn caused the Wyverian girl to laugh. “A child scrivener? Jin, don’t tell me we have to hire some babysitters as well for our outing?” Rex was ticked off. “What the hell, lady? You look barely older than I am!” The girl teased, “Well I wouldn’t wet myself at a measly hundred grand.” Rex approached her. “What’re you tryin’ to say?!” Before he could come closer, the Barioth stepped in front of him. He then looked at his rider and made a low rumbling sound. “Fine, I’ll drop it. Dromarch said I shouldn’t pick on you.” The Barioth looked content, with his eyes closed and what can only be described as a smile.

“Hmm, I was going to tell you that, Nia. Though I do see your point,” the Wyverian in black armor said. “In any case… I should be able to make sure…” Before he could finish his sentence, he lunges at Rex with his tonfas. Rex quickly guards with his greatsword. With there weapons crossed, the two stared at each other. The Wyverian pushed Rex away. “Ugh! What are you playing at?!” “Well, well, well…” he says as he puts away his tonfas. “Malos! What good is going to come from beating up the kid?!” Malos chuckled. “You said it yourself, didn’t you? What if the kid’s not up to it?” Nia was aggrevated, “I said nothing of the sort!” Malos teased her. “You did think it, right? And anyways, now we know. You’ll do well enough. Though you don’t look like a Hunter. Where’d you learn those arts?” Rex smirks. “Gramps showed me a thing or two. It was his idea of play time.” Malos observed him a little more, before smiling. “You’ve got some skill, I’ll give you that. Guts, too. Kid, you better work hard.” Malos, Jin, and Malos’s monster Sever began to walk away. Nia looks down and sighs, before joining them. Dromarch bows his head and follows his rider. “Nya-nya-nya! Furiends are a rowdy bunch. Anyway, here is the advance,” Bana says as he hand the bag of zenny to Rex. “Use it to buy the necessary gear and supplies. Then go to the dock and board the Meowstrom. Got it?” Rex nods and gets himself ready. But first he needs to ask Gramps if he can go first…

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading. This is my first fanfic, so I hope it turned out alright. Anyway, here's some author's notes:
> 
> -I planned from the beginning that Nopons would be Felynes, so they'll have speech patterns more like them now, though there is some bits reminiscent of Nopon dialect. I had fun trying to come up with cat puns.  
> -Sever was originally going to be a Kuarusupusu, a land-dwelling Leviathan covered in crystals from MH Frontier. I decided to go with a Yian Garuga because it was more familiar with the general audience, as well as it fits Malos a bit more.  
> -Gormotti, Urayans, and Indoline are all going to be Wyverians, each with different characteristics. In the case of Gormotti, they have a more wild appearance, with more noticeable fangs and claws, as well as more hair on their heads.  
> -Argentum has several rental monsters in their service, which is why Rex and Azurda were using Tempest despite Rex not being a Rider (yet).  
> -A Scrivener in Monster Hunter, is a researcher for the Guild, generally studying monsters and ancient relics. I thought it would work well with Rex, since he's very interested in the history of Alrest.  
> -Dromarch was always planned to be a Barioth. I made a conscious decision that the monsters that have a Rider won't talk. Nia understanding him can be summed up like how Pokemon Trainers have a good idea what their mons are saying.


	2. The Ancient Ship

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rex is a about to head out on his expedition, but Gramps is having none of that...

“No, you are not going anywhere on that ship and that is final!” Azurda scolded Rex. “Oh come on, Gramps. I told you, didn’t I? This is straight from the Chairmeow himself,” Rex said. “You don’t even know what the full details of the job is, nor do you know your clients.” Azurda wasn’t having any of this. “Oh, come on, Gramps. You can just take a rest at the inn for a bit. Relax a little, alright? I’ll be back before you know it.” Rex dashes off from the old Wyverian. “Rex! Get back here! Rex!” Azurda shouts. He tried to give chase, but became a bit winded. “Guh, if only I were 500 years younger. Curse these old legs,” Azurda complained.

Rex made his preparations for the trip using the advanced money he received. _Hmm, I should probably send some of these back home_ , he thought. He approaches Max, his usually courier. “Hello, Rex. What brings you here?” the friendly Ardainian asked. “I’m here to deliver some money back to Auntie Corrine. It’s from the new job straight from the Chairmeow.” Max’s eyes got wide. “Really? Is that true? Congratulations, Rex! Now how much are you sending to Fonsett?” “Ninety-thousand zenny to Corrine of Fonsett Village.” Max’s jaw dropped. “Ninety-thousand?!” “Shhh, not so loud!” Rex shushes his friend. “R-right, sorry. Alright, I’ll go ahead and make that delivery, then.” “Thanks a lot, Max!”

With everything settled, Rex makes his way to the Maelstrom, the toughest ship in Argentum. “Wheeling out the Maelstrom, eh? Bana’s got some deep pockets.” At the port, Nia and Dromarch approached Rex. “Gawking at a boat? What are you twelve? Wait, maybe you are twelve.” Rex turns to see them. ‘What does my age have to do with anything? I can tell an awesome feat of engineering when I see one!” Nia crosses her arms. “Well if you don’t close your mouth soon, you just might swallow a fly.” Rex stood back a little. _What’s her problem, she’s barely older then I am_ , he thought. “Hey you might want to watch where you stand, cause you might get your leg cut off when we head out.” Nia jumps back from the ropes she was standing near, yelping in surprise. “Gotcha.” Rex teased. Nia didn’t like that. “Why you little-!“ “Now look who’s mouth is hanging wide open?” As they were talking Malos, Sever, and Jin arrived at the dock. “Rex, we’re heading off. There’s no one seeing you off, right?” An older voice, the captain named Spraine. “You have night watch, so rest up, alright?” Rex responded, “Aye aye. Later!” Rex dashes off into the ship, leaving Nia scoffing at his immaturity.

The Maelstrom takes off, heading out for the uncharted section of the Cloud Sea. Rex began to acquaint himself with the rest of the team. “Rex, you’re up next for night watch.” Spraine told the younger salvager. “Alright,” Rex stood up on the highest platform keeping an eye out for where they’re heading. _Hmm_ , he pondered as he saw another ship following from a distance. _That’s the same one from the port. Is it, following us?_ “Brrr, it’s a little chilly up here, ain’t it.” Rex turns around and sees Nia behind. “What brings you up here?” Rex asked. “Everyone down there is drinking. You should join them.” Rex shook his head. “Nay, I’m good. And besides, I’m too young to drink anyway.” “Well I just wanted to get away from the drunkards in the ship,” she replies. “Anyway, Rex was it? Why are you a scrivener, anyway?” Rex gazes out to the World Tree in the distance. “Because of that.” “What, you mean that over-sized shrub. Everyone knows it’s just a fairy tale.” Rex turns back to Nia. “I know, but what if there is just the slight possibility we might figure out what’s happening to Alrest. You’ve noticed it, right? Monsters are disappearing left and right. And no one knows why that’s the case.” Nia looks back at the giant plant. “Hmm, I guess you’re right.” _Maybe he’s right. If so, maybe, we can find out the cause of all of this,_ Nia thought. “By the way, I don’t think I introduced myself proper. My name is Nia,” she told Rex. “Nia, huh? Well you already know my name. Anyway, it seems like my shift is up. I’ll see you when we get to the spot, alright?” “Sure, see you then.” Rex returns to his quarters to get ready.

“We are at the correct position. Proceed to your stations at once! Salvage team, suit up and proceed to hatch.” The voice over the intercom told the rest of the crew. Rex got his salvaging gear on. He returns to the center of the ship with the other salvagers. “Your target is in a shipwreck 4.5 miles below sea level. Searching the wreckage at such depths is too high of a risk. So we will be using floatation devices and cranes to pull up the hull,” Spraine explained. “Next, you will split up into teams and explore the interior. Once the target has been acquired, retrieval shall commence. If that is clear, let’s begin attaching the floats. Get into position!” Standing above them on the floor above were Nia and Dromarch. “We’re paying you lowlifes a lot, so don’t screw it up!” she commanded. “You smug so-and-so…” Rex said under his breath.

A storm was raging on as Rex and the rest of the salvagers came out onto the side deck, helmet on and all. “And submerge.” Rex takes a leap into the water. He swam until he came across the submerged sea vessel. _Is that it?_ Rex looked at the long-lost boat. _It looks pretty ancient… Is that the… propulsion mechanism? I’ve never seen a ship like that before…. What country made this…?_ A large mechanical claw came onto the upper part of the ship. Seeing the crane, he places the floatation device onto the side of it. He spots one of his companions and waves at them, signaling he’s ready. Rex began to swim back to the surface, as the floatation device activates, blowing a large balloon that helped bring the ship to the surface. With the ship in full view, surfacing like a large sea beast, Nia exclaims in astonishment, “Whoa, that’s massive!” Malos looks at the ship. “The appearance matches our reports, but it’s what’s inside that matters.” Jin begins to turn around, as one of the salvager leaders begins his next command. “Object is secured. Proceed to second phase.”

Rex was standing only the ancient ship, waiting for Nia, Dromarch, Malos, Sever, and Jin to arrive. Nia approaches him. “Excellent work! You’re not half bad, you know that?” “I do this for a living you know,” Rex reminded her. “All teams proceed with the investigation when ready.” Spraine issued the order. “Right then, let’s get moving,” Nia said. Malos and his monster already began to walk ahead. Jin, following behind them, turns around and looked at Rex. “…You. With us.” Rex’s eyes got big. “Me?” “The kid? Seriously?!” Malos looked back at the two younger crewmates. “Guess he wants all the help you can get.” “Oi!” Rex shouts. Malos laughs to himself and proceeds to follow his teammate. “Urgh. Well? Don’t just stand there! You’ve got your orders, haven’t you?” Nia told Rex.

As they approached the door in the back of the ship, leading to its interior, a loud thud came from the door. Suddenly, the doors were blown away as a large Hermitaur, not quite a Daimyo, came marching through. “Let me show you what a Rider can do!” Nia said, ready to face the Carapaceon. Nia pulled out the duel blades at her hips, while Jin readys his sword. Malos stood on the wayside, with Sever close behind. Before they can react, Jin slashes forward with incredible speed, knocking the Hermitaur onto the ground. “Sever!” Malos shouted. The Yian Garuga swoops into the air and grabs the Hermitaur, spiraling up high before throwing the Hermitaur to Malos. “Dromarch, freeze it!” Nia commanded. The Barioth shoots a ball of ice at the Hermitaur, trapping it in ice. “Get lost!” Malos punches the crab with one of his tonfas, knocking it back into the water.

“Amazing…” one of the salvagers said. “So that’s how Riders and Monsters fight together.” “So ruthless… It’s almost like the Riders are monsters themselves.” Nia turned to look at the salvagers in annoyance, as they walk into the ship. “Nice! I’m sure glad these Riders are on our side! You too, Dromarch.” Dromarch nods in response. “No need to get hysterical. It was just a walk in the park…” said Nia. “Yeah, but still…” Malos turns to the three, as Sever and Jin walked into the ship. “That’s enough yapping, you pair of brats! Let’s move!” he ordered. “Tch… Talk about self-important.” Nia said once he was out of hearing distance. “Gramps always taught me that I should respect my elders...” “Elders…?” The two started to laugh together, unaware they were being watched by a certain Felyne at the front of the ship…

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just so you guys know, Chapter 1 of XB2 is split into three parts for this story. Chapter 2 so far has two parts finished, with part 3 being worked on as we speak. For now, here's a few notes:
> 
> -We really don't have a lot of crustacean-like monsters, so I had to reuse the Hermitaur in place of the Lysaat. Monster Hunter Stories does have something called a Great Hermitaur, which I interpreted as a Hermitaur that's almost big enough to be considered a small Daimyo Hermitaur.  
> -We don't really know who the leader of the salvagers is in XB2 during the Maelstrom expedition, so I figured it was Spraine leading the operation.  
> -Bana and the other Felynes refer to the Maelstrom as Meowstrom, because Felyne dialect. Just because a Felyne is the head of the operations, doesn't necessarily mean he's the one who designed and named the ship.


	3. Boy Meets Girl

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rex and crew explore the interior of the Ancient Ship. Who knows what secrets lie in wait for them...

Inside the ancient ship, Rex, Nia, Jin, Malos, and their monsters continued to investigate the area. Eventually, they reached a dead end. “Hmm, looks like there is a generator here. Rex. Nia. Do you two mind searching for a fuel source for this?” Jin asked the two younger members of the team. “Huh, sure. Do you have any idea what it could be?” Nia asked. “Let’s see here…” Malos looks into the valve. “It seems like, we might be needing a bioenergy cell.” “Wait, this thing runs on bioenergy?” Rex was surprised by this fact. Malos looked at Jin. “I’ve read about this kind of ship a while back. You recognize this too, right Jin?” Jin nods. “Alright, have it kids.” Malos told them.

Rex and Nia patrolled the ship until they came across an item that looks like it can fit inside the generator. “Alright, let’s bring it back to the guys, eh?” “Right,” Rex said as he picked up the canister. “We found it!” Malos smiled. “Good, now let’s get this show on the road.” With the canister inserted, a green and blue line began snaking its way across the floor, triggering a sealed door to open. As the group approaches, they heard a roar coming from the back of the room. A large shark-like amphibian began to walk towards them. A Zamtrios. “Well, looks like we weren’t invited. Let’s take them on!” Malos rushed at the Zamtrios, landing a dropkick on its snout. Sever flies at the ice monster, performing a barrel roll as he slams his beak against it. Taking a large amount of damage, the Zamtrios becomes enraged, coating its body in a protective ice layer. It fires a beam of ice and water. Nia and Dromarch dodge it by flying above it, while Rex blocks it with his Greatsword. Jin, however, counters the attack, breaking some of the ice on the Zamtrios. This causes the Zamtrios to go into its third and final form, where it inflates itself using the cold liquid in its body. “Let’s go Dromarch! Dark… Blizzard!!” Dromarch coats himself in a cold mist and ice before dive-bombing the Zamtrios, knocking it out of the state. “Rex, now!” Jin commands. “Right! Rolling Smash!” Rex does a true charge slash with his sword, finishing their opponent once and for all.

“We did it!” Rex exclaims. “Good work. It wasn’t much of a challenge.” Malos complimented him and the rest of the team. Behind the fallen Zamtrios was a pedestal with a characteristic crest on it. “Jin, check it out. It’s Addam’s crest,” Malos pointed out. Rex looked puzzled. “Addam’s crest?” “There’s no mistaking it. You, go open it.” Jin told Rex. “Huh, me?” “That door can only be open by someone like you.” “I’m not sure what that’s all about, but alright.” Rex places his hand on the stand. This caused the crest to light up, causing the door to open. “Well there we go.” Rex began walking towards the next door. Nia wasn’t far behind. “Wait, open that door too.” Jin told Rex, causing Nia to stop. Rex opened that door to find a chamber with a unique looking sword and a sealed capsule. Inside it was a redheaded girl. _It’s a… girl…_ Rex thought. Rex then draws his attention to the sword. It was pulsating a brilliant green light, enticing Rex to touch it. “Hey, brat! Don’t even think about touching that!!” Malos shouted. “Huh?” Rex said as he touched the sword. This triggered a reaction, causing the platform and the girl to fall down below into the floor below. “Dammit! Why that little…” Malos raged.

“Uhhh, where… am I?” Rex woke up from his fall to see that the capsule had fallen as well, now opened slightly. Emerging from it was the girl. “Umm, hi. My name is-“ “I know what it is. It’s Rex, right?” the girl told him. “Huh, how did you-“ The girl looked at the capsule and said, “That chamber allowed me to hear what’s happening in here, so that’s how I know who you are. My name is Pyra.” “Pyra, eh. So what were you doing in there anyway? I don’t even know how long that boat’s been underwater, but I’m glad we saved you.” Pyra looked a little sad. “It was to protect me. I’ll explain later. But, Rex, I have a request. Can you… take me to Elysium?” “Wait, the place actually exists?!” “Yes, it does, and I know what you’re thinking. It could help solve the monster crisis in Alrest. We can get to the bottom of this and save the world.” Rex took a moment to think. He couldn’t believe his ears. He made up his mind. “Alright. I’ll take you there myself.” Pyra smiled. “Good. Now grab that sword.” “But, isn’t that yours?” “I can do fine without it. Trust me.” “Ok, if you say so.”

Rex and Pyra climbed up the stairway, heading back to the surface of the ship. “What, the? You?! I thought that fall killed you?!” Malos was pissed off to see not only Rex alive, but also Pyra. “Why were you going onto this ship, anyway? Cause the way you’re saying it makes it seem like it wasn’t a rescue mission!” Nia looked at Malos, concerned. “Malos… Please don’t tell me that-“ Malos looked at her angrily. “What are you doing, Nia? Destroy them, already! Grugh!” Malos began running at Rex and Pyra. “Malos, what the hell are you doing?!” Nia wasn’t sure what was going on. “Don’t you see? This kid… just became the partner of the Aegis!” “The what?!“ Malos had no time to answer. He was fixated on killing Rex and knocking out Pyra. Rex crossed his sword with Malos’ tonfa. “Hmm, I should have known. With those eyes, I should have been more wary from the start,” Malos said as he looked into Rex’s eyes. Malos was about to hit Rex with his other tonfa, before a ball of fire struck him. “Grr, how dare you!” He turns to look at the sender, Pyra. He then charges at her. “Pyra! Here!” Rex tosses the sword to her. “Thanks!” Pyra and Malos began to clash in rapid succession. “So, I’m guessing your goal… is Elysium?” He asked her, as they were locked in combat. With determination in her face, Pyra responded, “That… is our dream!” She pushes him back with her sword. Rex comes by her side, now being the one possessing the blade. Sever joined his master. “Don’t get cocky… you little shit!”

Malos jumped onto Sever’s back. “Rex, watch out! They might pull a Kinship attack!” “Got it. Let’s roll!” Rex run towards Sever, who was ready to peak at Rex. He dodged his attack, and countered with an uppercut slash. Meanwhile, Pyra jumped into the air to dodge it. With her cape fluttering in the air, he saw something unusual: wings. “Woah…” Nia was amazed by how agile Pyra is. “Prominence… Revolt!!” A large pillar of fire came from her hands, falling onto Malos and Sever. “Guh!” Malos fell off Sever. He then got up from the ground. “Fine, let’s end this!”

GRRROOOAAAARRRRIIIRRRAAA!!

“What’s that?!” Malos looks to the sky, as a large Shrieking Legianna came flying by with a certain someone on top. “Gramps!” Rex exclaimed. From the back of the wyvern, the Wyverian observed what was happening below. “Jin… still you persist. And is that… Malos?!” The Legiana was firing blasts of cold air below, freezing some of the ship in the process. The flying wyvern came close to the ship. “Rex grab on!” Rex and Pyra got onto the back of the Wind Drifting Wyvern. “Fire at them!” Rex looked at who Malos was referring to. The large, black ship from earlier was aiming its ballistae at them. “Oh shi-“ Rex said as the giant projectiles starting firing at them. Just when he thought they were going to get hit, a large frosty cyclone blew them away. “Huh, Nia?!” “I’m coming with you!” Malos was not pleased in the slightest. “How dare you, traitor!” But it was too late. The two wyverns and their passengers have already taken off. “Dammit! They gave us the slip…” Malos couldn’t believe they got away. “…Turn around.” Said Jin as he heads back to their ship, the Monoceros. “We’re not chasing them?” Malos asked. “The Aegis is awakened. That’s enough for now.” Jin said as he walked away. “I’ll have Akhos hunt them down.” “Hmph. That would have to do...” Malos said as he looks off into the storm…

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And with that, Chapter 1 of XB2 is complete. So I want to know, how do you feel about profiles for characters and areas? I will be posting them when it's appropriate for them based on how far along the story is. Now for some notes:
> 
> -So first thing off, Rex doesn't die and come back to life. There's not really something equivalent to that in MH, so I decided to go for a trap mechanism instead.  
> -No surprise here, bioenergy is going to serve as a stand-in for ether, considering it is a huge focus in MH World.  
> -Gramps comes to the rescue with a Legiana in tow. My reasoning is that Leftheria is going to be similar to the Coral Highlands in World, so it makes sense that Azurda would have a native monster. Why he has one will be explained in the next chapter.  
> -So, Pyra has wings. This will be explained soon in the next chapter. Also a nice reference to early concept art for Mythra.  
> -Pyra isn't a specified Wyverian, along with Malos. Their appearances are pretty much the same as their XB2 appearances, minus the ears of course.


	4. Aptitude

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After escaping from Jin and Malos, Rex and Pyra find themselves in an unknown forest. Where did everyone else go?

“…And so, I wisely ran away for dear life.” Pupunin and Bana were having a discussion over a communication device, after the events unfolded onboard the ancient ship. “Wise? Who’s wise meow?!” Bana was having none of this. “You useless idiot. Why can’t you even die purrperly. What if they want me to repay them, hmm?” Pupunin was confused. “Huh? Die? Repay who?” “Nya, none of your business. Anyway, tell me where did Rex and the girl went?” Pupunin was hesitant, but he told him anyway. “Rex, a Legiana, and furiends ran away! Went south to Cyclus Sea. After that, I know just as much as you do. The storm was very thick, so I…” “So you lost them, yes?” “Yes, but-“ “And then run away like a claward?” Pupunin was getting nervous. “Y-yes but-“ Bana was angrier now. “Nya-nya-nya-nya-nya! I don’t want feeble excuses from you! Just get back here! You got a lot of work to do!” With fear in Pupunin’s eyes, Bana stopped the call. He was very done with today.

“Nya-nya-nya… Even that pricey insurance for the Meowstraum has gone to waste. Still how interesting.” He looks at a map of Alrest. “The direction they are heading from Cyclus Sea would place them in Gormott…” He turns to one of his assistants. “You, girl! Get Consul Dugall on the line immediately!” “Yes, sir. One moment, please.” Suddenly, the device turned back on, with the image of a pink haired man behind the line. “Why, if it isn’t Chairmeow Bana. What an unexpected pleasure. May I just say that I admire how you rebranded those broken monster eggs and sold them to those dunderheads back in Mor Ardain – absolutely sublime!” Bana wasn’t amused. “I did not call you to hair pointless flattery! And blabbering about monster eggs on an unsecured line?! Are you some kind of idiot? What if Indol tapped our communication line?” Dugall flinched. “O-oh, of course! I’m very sorry!” “Nya, forget it. We’ve got bigger fishies to fry.” “Oh, what’s going on?” “Listen up…” Bana then explains what’s going on…

Meanwhile in a forest, Rex was waking up, only to find Pyra’s face above him. “Unghh… Pyra…?” Pyra was glad to see him in one piece. “Oh, thank goodness. You aren’t injured at all, are you?” “Nah, I’m good. Where are we?” Pyra looks around to see if she recognizes anything. “I’m not sure.” Rex suddenly realized it’s only them. “Wait! Where’s everyone else?!” Rex was panicking. “Let’s go find them before something bad happens.” Pyra stated. “Right.” As they passed through the forest, they eventually found the Legiana. “Oh, poor thing. It’s injured,” Pyra said. The Legiana had a couple of tears in one of its wings and a ballista still stuck on its tail. “I’ll go get something to help it, alright?” Pyra really wanted to make sure the wyvern got healthier. “Sure thing. Gramps shouldn’t be too far from here.” “Uh hmm. Can someone get me down from up here?” said an older voice. Rex and Pyra look up to see the old Wyverian stuck on a tree branch. “Gramps! You’re ok!” Rex was thrilled to see him. “Likewise, but umm, I could use some help…” Pyra started climbing the tree. “I’ve got this,” she said. She reaches Azurda and helps him down, using her wings to slow the descent.

“Oh ho, I never thought you would be the one to save me. Thank you, Pyra.” Azurda was pleased. “It’s no problem, Azurda.” Rex wasn’t expecting them to know each other. “You two have met before?” he asked. Azurda nodded. “That is correct. Pyra was found, not long after the Aegis War ended. But, that time didn’t last long. She had to go into hiding, for fear of the potential power she might possess.” Rex scratched his head. “Power? I remember Malos calling you an ‘Aegis’, right?” Before Pyra could answer, a roar was heard in the distance. “Wait a moment. Is that…? Dromarch?” Rex might not be a hunter, but he is familiar with monsters. “Him and Nia aren’t far from here! We have to get to them before something else does!”

“Grr, why won’t this bloody thing go away!” Nia was dodging the shrapnel damage from a broken boulder. Her opponent: a Tetsucabra that had it’s nap disturbed. Dromarch was still in good condition, being a smaller monster compared to the Legiana. “Oi, you guys need help?” _That voice…_ Rex, Pyra, and Azurda showed up. “You guys! We need all the help we can get!” Nia said. Rex had his sword drawn. “Tetsucabra are most vulnerable when they’re holding a rock in their mouth. When it does that, aim for the tail!” Nia told him. She went after the Tetsucabra’s fangs, trying to break them. The amphibian did a sumo stomp, hitting Nia and Pyra. Dromarch released a cool breeze from his mouth, refreshing everyone fighting. “Thanks for the heal, Dromarch!” Rex was ready to get going. The Demon Frog picked up a large chunk of earth, ready to smash it. _Now’s my chance_. “Double Spinning Edge!” Rex swung his sword twice at the tail, causing the rest of the beast to stagger. It dropped its boulder. “Going for the mount!” Nia jumped onto the Tetsucabra, and began slashing away at it’s armored back. It jumped about wildly, trying to get the attacker off of it. Nia does enough damage to knock it over. She then pulled out some knifes with a blue coating on them, and throws them at the large frog monster. Suddenly, the Tetsucabra got tired and fell down onto the ground, fast asleep. “Alright, let’s get away from here. We don’t have to kill it.” She informed Rex and Pyra. Everyone put their weapons away and ran away to a safer location.

The group set up a small campsite in a hard to reach area near the Legiana, where large monsters would have a harder time catching them. “Phew, that was a bit close,” Rex sighed in relief. “You guys doing alright?” Nia smiled. “Eh, could have been better. Thanks for saving us back there. Especially you, Mr.-?” “Azurda, and you’re welcome. I wouldn’t have to do this if someone actually listened.” Azurda was disappointed in Rex. “Yeah, but if I didn’t take the job, they would have captured Pyra. I can’t let that happen.” Pyra blushed a little when Rex said that. Azurda couldn’t be this mad at Rex. “You really are a caring person. By the way, Nia do you have any idea where we might be?” Nia looked at their surroundings. “Of course. We’re in the northern part of Gormott. It’s pretty swampy here, compared to other parts, but it’s home.” “Wait, a moment. Nia, you’re Gormotti, aren’t you?” Nia crossed her arms in response. “Well, took you long enough. Though I believe I’m not the only Wyverian here,” referring to Pyra and Azurda. “I have to say, you’re different from other Wyverians, aren’t you Pyra.” “Yeah… I guess you guys noticed, huh.” Pyra held her left hand with her right, now that the cat’s out of the bag. “You don’t really see many people with wings. Not to mention, you just created fire from your hands in that fight with Malos,” Rex noticed. “I’m not entirely sure, myself. I haven’t really have a lot of experience fighting.” Pyra replied. “Hmm, now that I look at them more carefully, they kind of look like Rathian wings. Pyra, what are you exactly?” Rex asked.

“Pyra is an Aegis. She is someone that was born with the traits of a monster. We don't know why, but that's how it is. While Pyra does have the traits similar to a Rathian, we believe that she has a power that has yet to manifested,” Azurda explained. “You said you found Pyra after the Aegis War earlier, Gramps,” said Rex. “So there was this big ol’ battle back in the day?” “Indeed. That battle happened 500 years ago. Many lives were lost, and three island nations sank to the bottom of the sea.” Rex looks at Pyra. “Do you remember much about it at all?” Pyra shook her head. “Nia, do you know why Jin and Malos were after her?” “Not really, no. I only joined them more recently,” Nia told him.

“Darn. Looks like we have to find out ourselves. How’s the Legiana?” Azurda looked to where the flying wyvern was sleeping. “He seems to be doing batter. You recognize him, don’t you Rex?” Rex tilted his head and pondered for a bit. “Hmm, not really.” “That there is Ven. Of course, you were too small back then. When I caught word that you were heading out to sea on a job you didn’t know about, I immediately went to the deck and brought him out for a spin. He was my old monster, back in the day,” explained Azurda. “Didn’t know he followed us here.” “A monster always remembers their bonds to the Rider that raised it,” said Nia. “They are one in mind and body. I know that first hand,” she says as she petted Dromarch, who she was lying against.

At night, Azurda walked up to Pyra who was busy staring at the pond nearby. Everyone else was fast asleep. “Hello there. Can’t sleep, I take it?” asked Azurda. “No, not really. It’s good to see you again… Azurda.” “Likewise. Though you’ve changed quite a bit since we’ve last met, Pyra.” Pyra looked up at the stars and said, “I suppose I have. A lot’s happened.” “Yes, it has. I want to personally thank you for saving my dear Rex. And I need to know – what you told him, is that what you truly intend?” Pyra looked at the water. “Yes. It is my true desire.” Azurda closed his eyes and smiled. “Hmm, I see. Well, that’s good. I have no reason to doubt you, Pyra.”

It was morning, and the group was ready to venture out. “Hmm, it seems like you won’t be able to fly well. “ Pyra said to Ven. The Legiana had a couple of bandages on its wing and where the ballista was on its tail. “It’s alright, boy. We’ll try to get you back home, ok?” Rex told him. “Nia, do you know where we should be heading?” “Let’s see, from where we’re standing, the closest place would be Torigoth. It’s the largest city in Gormott and does a lot of the trading, namely Mor Ardain and Argentum. I can show you the way, if you like,” she offered. “Sure, we’ll be right behind you. After two days of traveling, they reached Garanti Plain. “Woah, is that Torigoth over there?” Rex has never been to Gormott before, so this is a first for him. “That’s right. When we’re done here, we’ll go our separate ways.” Nia told the group. “Nia, are you sure?” Pyra asked. “You can just hang out with us, if you wish.” Nia looked at the ground. “I’m just trying to figure myself out. I could go back to Jin.” “Nia, no. You saw how Malos reacted. If you try going back, he just might kill you,” said a concerned Rex. “I know that. But… they’re the closest thing I have to a family,” she said. _Nia…_ thought Rex. “Anyways, keep a good eye out for danger. There is a particular Rajang that has taken up residence here, as of late. People have taken to calling him Territorial Rotbart, just due to how aggressive he is to anything around him.” “Roger…” said Rex.

After carefully navigating the plains, they arrived on Torigoth’s doorsteps. “It hasn’t changed a bit.” Nia reminisced. “Nia?” Pyra wondered. “It’s nothing. Ok, then. I’ll see you all to an inn, and then we’ll part ways.” The group passes by a bulletin board near the entrance, lined with wanted posters of Jin, Malos, and Nia. Nia caught wind of it. “Oi! What the bloody hell is this?! Don’t tell me that’s supposed to be me?!” The poster for Nia had combined both Nia and Dromarch’s likeness, resulting in Dromarch chuffing. “Did you say something?” Dromarch looked away from his Rider and makes a low growl. Nia couldn’t take the looks of the poster and tore it to shreds, leaving Rex, Pyra, and Azurda with a terrified look on there faces.

“Who has the courage to stand up and awaken the sleeping monster inside?! Do that, and we’ll make you a mighty soldier of the Empire of Mor Ardain!” an Ardainian military recruiter has gathered around a large group of people, hoping to get new recruits. Beside him and his men was a Barroth and her clutch of eggs. “What’s going on here?” asked Rex. “Rider recruitment. Mor Ardain is trying to get some people to join in the event they go to war with Uraya,” said Nia. One Gormotti tried going. “You can’t do it, bro!” one of his younger siblings begged him. “I know, but if I do go, I can make enough money to support us,” he said. “No!” An older Gormotti pushed him out of the way. “Move aside, pipsqueak. This is one Gormotti that wants a slice of that pie.” He was adorned with a Kinship stone on the back of his hand. “Alright, monstie! Show me what you got!” The mother Barroth wasn’t pleased with the display before her, prompting her to smack him away with her tail. “Oh, is there no one else that can stand to show their strength, for the glory of the Empire?!” the recruiter asked while the older Gormotti was dragged away for medical attention. “Oof, that’s got to hurt. It must have broken a rib or something,” Rex grimaced at the sight. “That’s what happens, when a person can’t bond with a monster.” “It takes a certain kind of aptitude to do so.” The recruiter spotted the man. “You! How about you? Step forward, sir, with bold heart!” The younger Gormotti steps up. “Don’t do it!” his siblings begged. “Come, brave soul. Show us if you have what it takes to bond in both mind and soul with the beastie before you!” the recruiter cheered him on. The man, Jac, placed the stone on his wrist. A brilliant blue light shined from it. Suddenly, the egg before him started to crack. “There’s your aptitude,” commented Nia. An eggshell popped off. And then another. Soon, the monster inside came into full view: a newborn Barroth. “I-I… I did it!” Jac exclaimed in excitement. “You did it, bro!” “Oh wow!” Azurda turned to Rex and told him, “That is how the bond between monster and Rider is formed.” Nia then gestured to her comrades. “Come on. No point sticking around for the enrollment ceremony and all that boring stuff,” she said as she began walking off. Rex catches Pyra’s attention, who was busy watching the whole process.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A bit of a longer chapter, but I think it answers a few questions. Here's the notes:
> 
> -So rather than Azurda reverting back into a younger form, the Legiana becomes injured. It won't be able to fly now.  
> -Mor Ardain, while technologically advanced, stands on a strong foundation based on the bonds between Riders and their Monsties, greatly influenced by the royal family since times of old. As for why a Barroth being the Monstie of Jac, it's a lower tiered monster and since Mor Ardain is going to be a volcanic desert, it makes sense.  
> -Unique monsters are still a thing, though sometimes while two of them are the same species in XB2 (ex. Immovable Gonzales and Territorial Rotbart), here that might not always be the case. Rotbart, as mentioned, is a Rajang, while Gonzales is now a large gold crown Emerald Congalala. In MH, a large gold crown is the largest possible size for that monster species, with some event quests even having comically larger versions every once in a while. The same applies for a small gold crown, the smallest size possible.


	5. Enter the Jewel of Flames

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Deciding to go around the plaza, our heroes decide to take the back alley. But someone, or rather something, lies in wait...

Rex and his friends began walking down the alley near the plaza. “So what was that thing that new rider was using?” Rex asked Nia. “It’s called a Kinship Stone. When a monster sees the light emanating from it, it helps calm them down and makes them act trustworthy. But it only works if they’re exposed to it at birth. You can’t just use it on an adult wild monster.” Behind them, the sound of heavy footsteps was behind them. “Stop! Don’t move!” The group turns around and see Ardainian soldiers, with the one in the middle having a much larger helmet. “The girl and monster you are traveling with are the terrorists on the wanted poster,” the captain, Padraig, told them. “Huh, want wanted poster?” Rex didn’t recall one. “See for yourself,” Padraig told him, as he pulled out a copy of it. “Huh, it really does look like her.” Nia then proceeds to hiss at Rex in frustration. “Uh, I mean… no it looks nothing like it,” Rex corrected himself. “And you,” the captain pointed at Rex. “Registration number?” Rex had no idea what he was talking about. “Umm… 563?” “Knock it off, kid. No number must mean you must be either an illegal Hunter or Rider, seeing that Legiana there. What the bloody hell did you do to that thing?” Rex wasn’t sure how to answer. “We umm-“ “Doesn’t matter, we’ll find out after we take you all in.”

“Rex, on my mark, draw out your weapon so we can counterattack. Ready?” “Yeah.” Nia began the countdown. “One… two….” Padraig started to panic a little. “You- You’re seriously going to resist?!” “THREE!” Nia drew her swords, as did Rex. Pyra conjured up a flame in her hand, while Dromarch readied himself into a fighting position. Nia knocked down two soldiers with a jump attack. Padraig and two of his men began firing their bowguns at Dromarch, only for the two foot soldiers to be swept off their feet with a tail swipe. Padraig barely dodged a fireball from Pyra, before Rex came in with a greatsword slash, forcing the captain to block it with his bowgun’s shield. With most of the soldiers exhausted, a noble roar echoed from where they came from.

“What the-!” Nia exclaimed at what she saw. “L-lady Brighid?! Have you come to assist us?” Walking towards the group was a decorated Lunastra, equipped with an elegant saddle with purple cloth hanging from it. “A Lunastra, in Torigoth?!” Rex couldn’t believe his eyes. “Hehehe! Lady Brighid here is one of the Jewels of Mor Ardain, the strongest monsters in the empire!” Padraig introduced the Flame Princess Dragon. “But where’s her Rider?” “Her rider is currently in Mor Ardain. Now, Brighid. Lend me your strength to fell these dangers to society.” The Lunastra looked at Pyra, and chuffed a little. Pyra’s appearance was familiar to her, but she wasn’t sure how. “Men, you get the you know what!” “Sir!” the soldier ran off to collect something.

Brighid immediately scattered her flames in the alley, forming walls of fire that entrapped her opponents. Dromarch fired an ice tornado, cooling the area and hiding the team. Nia ran at the captain under the snowy veil, hitting him with her blades and knocking the weapon out of his hands. Meanwhile, Rex and Pyra were busy fending off against the Elder Dragon before them. Before they knew it, an electrified net fell on top of Nia, Dromarch, and Ven. “Ahh!” Nia yelped. “This is a shock trap!” explained Padraig. “R-rex! Go on without us!” Nia ordered him. “We’re not leaving without you!” “Just go!” Suddenly, an explosive projectile hits a water pipe, dowsing the Lunastra and her flames. “Pyra let’s do this!” “Right!” The two leap into the air. Brighid furrowed her brows, wondering what they were doing. Her fire abilities were weakened because of the water, but what about them? “Burning… Sword!!” Rex and Pyra said in unison. They came crashing down with their sword, engulfed in flames. This caused some of the water around them to explode in a burst of steam and mist. When the mist disappeared, Rex, Pyra, and Azurda were nowhere to be found. “Men, find them and capture them at once!” Padraig ordered. “That’s right, Rex. Run and never look back,” said Nia. Brighid just looked at the road in front of her, wondering why they didn’t just attack her. She shakes off the rest of water on her and unfurled her wings, getting ready to fly back to the relay base.

Rex, Pyra and Azurda reached the lower level of Torigoth near the bridge to the relay base. “Hey hey!” A voice came from a nearby wall. A tiger-striped Felyne showed his face from behind the wall. “This way! Furriends, come this way! Tora’s helping you escape!” Puzzled, Rex asked, “Who are you?” “I don’t have time to explain! Just get in here!” Rex and friends had no choice, but take the Felyne’s help they rush in the doorway, with the cat closing it behind them. After they lost the soldiers chasing them, Rex turned to the Felyne. “Thanks, you saved us. But I’ve gotta ask… why?” “No reason…” the Felyne replied. “No reason?” “Sorry that’s not true. The truth is, I’m not a fan of those big bully soldiers. I was think about using my shiny new Boom Biter on them. That’s when I saw mew running away from them. Boom Biter missed and hit the water pipe, but those weren’t bad results, right?” “Oh, so you’re the one that shot the pipe?” asked Rex. “That’s right!” “And you’re Tora? I’m Rex and this here is Pyra. And this is my Gramps.” “It’s lovely to meet you, Tora,” said Pyra. “It’s good to meet you too, nyanyanya…” Tora responds with a chuckle at the end. “Huh?” “Ah… Actually, I’ve got another reason to save mew.” “Which is?” “Don’t worry. I’ll explain everything when we get to my house. This way!” Tora lead his acquaintances to his home.

Meanwhile in the consul’s office, Dughall and Padraig were conversing. “The boy and the girl who seems to be working with them got away… But we apprehended the girl on the wanted poster, along with her Monstie,” Padraig reported. “Once again, the town has been sav-“ “Say, Padraig,” Dughall interrupted. “Do you remember what my orders were?” “Sir?” “I told you to capture the girl with the emerald monster wings, did I not? Do you remember me asking you to capture some little girl with barely a bounty on her head?” Padraig was sweating underneath his helm. “B-but sir, she’s a member of Torna-“ “I’ll say it slowly just so we’re clear. Get. The girl. With. The emerald-“ “Umm, Consul Dughall, sir?” “What?” “I-I’m not exactly sure what the color “emerald” is supposed to be…” Dughall angrily picks up an emerald colored vase. “Agh! Give me strength! It’s green, you idiot! Emerald is green! Like this! Green! Get it, you clod?!” Padraig looked at the vase in amazement. “Ohhh, GREEN! I get it now. So emeralds are green, huh…” Dughall turns around and crosses his arms. “You dunderhead! How many girls do you see with green wings? It’s patently obvious. How do you mix THAT up with some worthless cat monster?!” “Actually, sir, technically I believe that’s a Barioth, rather than a-“ “Silence!” Dughall yells at him, as he throws the vase at him, knocking him to the ground. “Agh!” Another soldier ran into the office. “Consul!” Dughall wasn’t amused. “What is it? Haven’t you heard of knocking?” The soldier stood at attention. “My apologies, sir! It’s just that Lady Mòrag has…” “What?!” “Special Inquisitor Mòrag has arrived from the motherland.” “Already?!” “Her ship has just docked.” Dughall winces in fear. “Grhk, this… cannot be happening!”

A large battleship is approaching the port at the relay base, easily being the almost the same size as the relay base. It come to a halt, docking at the base. The side hatch opens up, with a woman dressed in a black, white, and red uniform with gold highlights emerging from the ship. Mòrag straight at the base, with one goal in mind: capture the Aegis….

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> That's the last of the pre-Ao3 stuff I've written for this story. The next chapter will be here whenever I get it done. As per usual, your notes for this chapter:
> 
> -First of, Brighid is now a Lunastra. I felt that for her and Aegeon, an Elder Dragon would fit in well with them being revered as the strongest Blades in Mor Ardain, as well as how they have had a long connection with the royal family. Also, Lunastra armor has gears on it, much like how Mòrag's uniform does as well.  
> -I find Tora being a Felyne a little funny, due to there being a character in MH3U/MHGU named Neko (Means Cat), who keeps on referring to his name as meaning "tiger", which the name "Tora" does mean. Maybe the opposite here?  
> -There's not really anything else for me to say here beyond that. I'll be posting character and area profiles to show how much they've changed, and what kinds of monsters live in the area. Once Ch. 2 of XB2 is finished, I might start doing sidestories, similar to Heart-to-Hearts or Blade Quests. I've already got a few ideas for some of the Blades in this world.


End file.
